Sylvia Weinstock at the Wedding Party Palm Beach

As if the sunshine, the luxurious hotel and the food, drink and entertainment at the Wedding Party Palm Beach is not enough, we've got Sylvia Weinstock too! And she brings the sunshine with her wherever she goes.Sylvia will be signing copies of her new book, Sensational Cakes, and providing private wedding cake design consultations to a select few. Sign up now for a chance to have your design sketched out by the master of wedding cakes!

Stationery Suite

Stephanie should be the mascot for Wedding Library services. We had fun working with her throughout her planning process, and she visited often. Her wedding was at the Harold Pratt House, and she used the amazing Matthew Robbins Design, via the Wedding Library. She also found her veil at Bride's Head Revisited, on the fourth floor of our townhouse.

But she worked most closely with our Stationery Director, Linda Hays. I think Stephanie drew from us what the Wedding Library does best. She chose a mix and match, a la carte selection of the most elegant, personalized and unique products that you can find under one roof. Good job! Here's a taste of how it all came together.

The beautiful table is classic Matthew. Soft hues, lush flowers, a romantic setting. The menu cards are Dauphine with a lovely die-cut shape and pattern printed to the edge of the card.A closer look at the menu, notice the mixed fonts and added motifs and the simple and elegant place card.

The palette of the room appears to be all white -- look closely and you'll notice the shades of pink, amber, green, and glints of silver and glass -- beautiful!

The Dauphine letterpress program is classic, and still unique.

I love the invitation and belly band. Knowing how male guests often overlook the details, Stephanie said "Some of Marc's male friends even complimented him on the invitation -- unbelievable!"

The save-the-date is the new Julie Holcomb photo card -- very beautifully printed.
The whole wedding stationery suite can be a complicated process. Stephanie wrote Linda "Thank you for all of your time, energy and advice putting everything together -- it was a wonderful experience". (I think Linda thought so too!)

The happy couple! Congratulations from everyone at the Wedding Library!

Here are some nice words from the bride: " ...Marc and I received many, many compliments ...so many friends called the suite elegant, sophisticated, unique -- everything I wanted to hear."

Photos courtesy of Christian Oth.

Boys Bring Your Bow Ties!

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 14th of December, we're going to teach you how to tie a bow tie, pin a boutonniere and tuck a pocket square. Yes, check off these skills from your life list. And we're doing it in style.

Our great friends from Franklin + Gower make fabulous customized menswear that can only be found by the most discerning -- but will be bringing a preview of brand new styles to the Wedding Library to share with us tomorrow night. They were inspired with designs by the Thread Bridesmaid line, so you know they have great taste and will mix and match perfectly.We'll also have a chic representative from Tom Ford on Madison Avenue to give lessons on dressing well. And it was my idea to have a single malt on hand to make it all go a little smoother. Ladies, if your guy doesn't want to learn, then you be the superstar and come on by for a drink and a quick lesson. Let's bring in the new year with a new skill! (The dress above is Thread, the suit, Franklin + Gower)

Wedding Party Palm Beach Debut!

We're ready!

Glamorous speakers? Check! Martha Stewart Weddings' Darcy Miller, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, and Kleinfeld's Randy Fenoli who we love from Say Yes to the Dress.

Great venue? Check! The Breakers Palm Beach. How can we go wrong --there's also a great room rate during high season! (A perfect excuse for a long holiday weekend in the sun!)

Amazing vendors? Check! The best of Florida and national vendors converging to help you choose your destination wedding team.

Superb gift bag and unbelievable raffle prizes? Check! Our boutique event has an unbelievable roster of luxury brands, gifts and prizes.

Now it's your turn. Have you purchased your tickets, booked your flight and reserved your room? Time to check, check, check!!!

The Breakers, Palm Beach Bound

I love to scour web sites and research the most dreamy properties, far-off locales and concoct the most "perfect" experiences that I can think up. And sometimes I get to experience the fruits of my painstaking research. The Breakers is a property that remain larger than life even after experiencing it. Many years ago I was introduced to the property by a bride whose wedding I helped plan. Never since have I experienced such an amazing wedding. And consistently, when I visit the Breakers for work or play -- the hotel, property and staff exceed all expectations.

Now, we invite brides to experience all the Breakers and their wonderful vendors have to offer at the Wedding Party Palm Beach. We guarantee every bride a luxury experience filled with all the Breakers has to offer. Take a peek at these images -- you'll get the idea!

One of my favorite spots for a rehearsal dinner, after-party or brunch -- poolside!

One of the most spectacular ballrooms around. Perfect for high-glamour, high-impact.

See what I mean?

Photos credit from top: Nancy Cohn, Michael Kress, Donna Newman, Donna Newman, Michael Kress
Join us, January 17, 2010 when the Breakers shows you how it's done!

Lela Rose Exclusively at the Wedding Library

We are delighted to announce that we are the exclusive New York City retailer of Dessy's Lela Rose collection of bridesmaid dresses. Lela was one of our speakers at the Wedding Party NYC last year, and we all fell in love. Her gowns are gorgeous, her shoes are a fashionista's bargain-dream, and in person, she was instantly a hit. We could not be happier that we'll be representing her charming line. From her 2010 collection, here are the highlights. Dessy blogged about us today, too -- check it out!

An instant favorite! This is the dress to swoon over.

One shoulder is all over the runways.

This neckline is so flattering.

We love these rosettes.

Another version of the one-shoulder.

This style is flattering on everyone.

A v-neck and an a-line is always a good fit.

Strapless updated. Always a favorite.

The Spirit of Accessorizing

New York Magazine has a clever web section called Shop-a-Matic where they gather great products in a category and post photos of them. They have a few wedding-related series, the most recent is Wedding Accessories. Great white, silver and gold accessories are hard to come by, so I thought I'd share the link with you. A few of our favorites were included in the line-up, too!

The Sarah is perfect with bridesmaid dresses or wedding gowns. $98

Ella is a really comfortable neutral. $125

I like the Nicole because when you're wearing it, all you see is the little band of crystals. $150

I rave forever about our cashmere wraps. They come in many colors and are great always -- I bring mine on every flight I take! $175

A wonderfully neutral cover-up comes in many colors -- the perfect solution for bridesmaids and brides! $125

Martha Stewart Center for Living and Sneak Peek

I was delighted to attend a gala benefit for Martha Stewart's Center for Living at Mount Sinai recently. The Center serves to promote access to health care resources for older adults -- something we will all need sooner or later! The event was held at the Martha Stewart headquarters in the Starrett-Lehigh building.

It was also the perfect opportunity for me to sneak in a quick behind-the-scenes tour of the craft rooms, prop rooms, test kitchen and more. Here are a few inspirational images some of which I think you'll recognize in the current December issue of Martha Stewart Living.

One of the prop rooms -- each piece has a bar code to keep track of inventory.

A lovely case of shells.

One of the ornaments from the December issue.

Little creatures in the making...
A super-fly butterfly.

An inspiration board -- definitely an inspiration to me!

Style Me Pretty is Blogging About Us!

We are so delighted that Abby Larson of Style Me Pretty has agreed to be our "official blogger" covering our upcoming Wedding Party at the beautiful Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach. She'll be writing about some of the amazing events, vendors and activities at our bridal show on January 17. Read what she has to say in her first entry!

We look forward to seeing you in Palm Beach!

Wedding Library Stationery on Martha Stewart Weddings

If you were lucky enough to be lazing on the couch today, munching bonbons and watching Martha Stewart Weddings (I wasn't), you might have caught our Lindsay's stunning save-the-date on TV. Lindsay was just married in Tuscany, and our Stationery Director Linda helped her with all her paperie. Spark letterpress printers created this amazing Passport folder just for them.
Martha and Darcy liked it too. Click the image above for the segment! To see the passport or Lindsay in person, come visit us! Join us on Tuesday, December 8, 6-8pm to learn all there is to know about custom stationery orders and see some of our most exquisite custom suites. RSVP Linda@theweddinglibrary.com

Mantas Wright Photography Event

We met Dasha and Phil years ago at magazine and book shoots of beautiful still-lifes of weddings we were planning. We were impressed with their subtle styling, quiet professionalism, and, frankly, the way they make our weddings look. Their company, Mantas Wright, tells amazing stories with their images -- the two really understand their art. They also have an understanding of what is needed to create a beautiful and meaningful product.That's why we've asked them to visit with our brides on Tuesday, December 1 from 6-8pm. Phil and Dasha will explain the ins and outs of hiring a wedding photographer. You'll learn what to expect, look for, and understand when making that very important choice. Join us for an open discussion and a great learning experience. RSVP ido@theweddinglibrary.com

Missy McLamb's Wedding Project

Our favorite North Carolina/New York photographer and amazing artist, Missy McLamb, is working on a powerful personal project that she shared with me. She is interested in exploring the symbol of the wedding dress in our culture. She is looking to photograph women who first donned their gown 40, 50, 60, 70, perhaps even 80 years ago.

If you are, or know a woman who still has acess to her wedding dress and would be open to speaking with Missy, please contact her via her website link (above). This is sure to produce some amazing images!

On-Line Wedding Expo

So, Martha Stewart Weddings is having an online bridal event, their Luxury Wedding Expo, on November 14 and 15. What a great idea -- be inspired by Martha Stewart editors, experts and vendor representatives from the comfort of your computer screen.
I'm super excited about it because I made one of the on-line videos! It's on Picking the Perfect Location. You can see it from November 14-February 28.

My friend Mark Ingram of the Bridal Atelier has a video on Finding the Right Gown, and Matthew Robbins will discuss Choosing Your Color Palette. Check it out!! (Buzz Bonus: it's free!)

Wedding Library Team

The Wedding Library team is the behind-the-scenes engine behind all the event planning, vendor referrals, stationery sales and bridesmaid dress fittings that go on behind our gates. Karen Hill, one of our favorite Wedding Library Photographers, took some time to photograph some of the ladies in action.

Clockwise from top left: Lydia Taplett, Planning and Vendor Referrals; Kristen Carnie, Lindsay Bonamassa, Lydia Taplett and Roey Mizrahi; Kristen, Bridesmaids; Lindsay Bridesmaids; Roey Vendor Referrals and Museum of the City of New York liaison.

Cover Girls

One of Darcy Miller's ideas for her 15th Anniversary Party was to allow guests to be on the cover of the magazine -- if only as a keepsake. We provided props like this bouquet and cake, and the Martha Stewart Weddings team produced the backdrop. Elan Artists provided a photo team who captured the covers, and printed them out on site for guests. To see the entire gallery, click here.

Jennifer, Darcy and me

The Wedding Library girls(from left to right): Roey, Lydia, Nicole, Karen (with bouquet). Backdrop photos are so popular right now for weddings, who's cover would you be on?

Anne Bowen at Bridal Week

My good friend Campbell invited me to a fashion show for Anne Bowen bridal at the Plaza during fashion week, which I was so sad to miss. However, I discovered that our peeps at Open Eye Documentary created a video for the show. It's so good that I feel like I was there. I know all the blogger images of the shows are great, but there's nothing like seeing a dress in motion. Check out the moving images by clicking the photo below. I think you'll like.

Plaza Party Martha Stewart Weddings 15th Anniversary

If you weren't there, (although it seems like the whole world attended), the Plaza Hotel rocked on Monday night for the Martha Stewart Weddings 15th Anniversary Party. I was lucky enough to be asked to plan the event, so here are some highlights. There are also more images on Darcy Miller's blog.

The Plaza in full swing -- we expected 600 guests and estimates top 1,000!

Martha was in California but sent a video message to guests.

Confetti Cakes beautiful design. Seven of my favorite bakers all contributed to the event.

Taylor Creative provided the specialty furniture, Party Rental provided linens and dishware -- it was really a group effort!

A sweet arrangement by Matthew Robbins.

Specialty drinks by Callahan Catering came out of the Martha Stewart archives.

Didn't see any blushing brides running around...

The famous miniature grilled cheese.

Okamoto Studios said it in ice.

Now for the before. Here's the Plaza mid-set up. We were there at 9am and finished shortly before guests arrived. Lots of work went on throughout the day!

Matthew Robbins' cute team during a mini break.

Audio visual was being tested by Bentley Meeker, Taylor furniture put in place and lighting adjusted.

Morimoto's team had a giant mound of rice before the evening began.

The team at the Plaza made sure every last detail was attended to -- here they are replacing a bulb in the giant chandeliers in the Ballroom -- perfection!